# What Type of Latakia Is In Nightcap?



## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

I was wondering if someone could clear this up for me. I've read where it contains Cyprian only, Syrian only or a mixture of the two. Could one of the Dunhill experts out there clear this up for me? Thanks!


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

This question has come up a few times in the past on various sites. As I recall, there is only Cyprian Latakia in Dunhill's Night Cap.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

JohnnyFlake said:


> This question has come up a few times in the past on various sites. As I recall, there is only Cyprian Latakia in Dunhill's Night Cap.


 I say there's only Syrian


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Requiem said:


> I say there's only Syrian


I love the video the FRANK method to pack a pipe THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

Requiem said:


> I say there's only Syrian


I am certainly not going to debate that with you. Personally, I really don't care! I just thought I'd mention what I recall reading, somewhere, at one time.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

JohnnyFlake said:


> This question has come up a few times in the past on various sites. As I recall, there is only Cyprian Latakia in Dunhill's Night Cap.


Dunhill is indeed made with Cyprian. Infact there is not one current Dunhill blend made with Syrian Latakia. A good rule of thumb is if a blend says it has Latakia in it and yet it doesn't specify the type Latakia then it is Cyprian. Syrian is much more rare and if a blend contains it they will let you know by stating Syrian Latakia in the ingredients.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Thanks for the responses guys. Whatevers in it, me likes it!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Makes me glad I haven't gotten any Nightcap since my return to the pipe. I used to smoke it a lot in college, so I think I might be disappointed, the way everybody must have been when they took the cocaine out of Coca Cola. I'd bet it was Syrian back in the 60s and 70s, when I smoked about a zillion tins of it. Don't know, just that's what I'd put my money on. (Hey, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Who knows? I have a LOT riding on this! Squeezing for a winner...)


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

That's what I've always heard on the net (with all the reliability _that_ implies...); it used to be Syrian, then changed at some point to Cyprian. I personally never smoked it until last year; I haven't a clue.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

freestoke said:


> Makes me glad I haven't gotten any Nightcap since my return to the pipe. I used to smoke it a lot in college, so I think I might be disappointed, the way everybody must have been when they took the cocaine out of Coca Cola. I'd bet it was Syrian back in the 60s and 70s, when I smoked about a zillion tins of it. Don't know, just that's what I'd put my money on. (Hey, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Who knows? I have a LOT riding on this! Squeezing for a winner...)


I love Syrian Latakia as much as the next guy and prefer it over Cyprian in most blends however the present day nightcap is still in my top 5 and ranks above many Syrian blends. Try it and you wont be disappointed unless you cant stand english style mixes and latakia.


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## Contrabass Bry (May 3, 2010)

A great question. I've asked myself the same.

I agree with the current Nightcap being very good. I too find that the lat component doesn't make it easy to determine if it is Cyprian or Syrian.

My very first tin of real tobacco was a tin of Nightcap about 10 years ago. It came from a dusty shelf at a local tobacconist. If there was a change, I am not able to detect it.

Whatever it is, me likey too!


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## Contrabass Bry (May 3, 2010)

I should note: cut is different. My first tin was more of a chop-cut, now it's more like a thin ribbon/shag.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

I'm not convinced, guys.
Artisan's Blend is advertised as a Syrian latakia blend... the taste is almost the same as in Nightcap (maybe a slightly less deep in Artisan's).
I also can't taste anything typical of Cyprian latakia (the campfire kind of taste) in Nightcap.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

Requiem said:


> I'm not convinced, guys.
> Artisan's Blend is advertised as a Syrian latakia blend... the taste is almost the same as in Nightcap (maybe a slightly less deep in Artisan's).
> I also can't taste anything typical of Cyprian latakia (the campfire kind of taste) in Nightcap.


Maybe they are serving you a different version of Nightcap on that side of the pond. I have smoked Artisans and can certainly taste the Syrian in it. Not so with Nightcap although both have a bit of Perique in common. I dont taste a camp fire taste in Nightcap but I also dont detect that typical sweeter, leather note I get from Syrian. I just think it is really well blended with the proportions of leaf so that the campfire taste doesn't take over. I prefer the Nightcap's flavor actually over the Artisans even though the Artisans has Syrian in it.

I suppose we can just contact Orlik and settle this argument. Anyone have their email?


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

There is this informative article written by John C Loring who is a bit of a Dunhill connoisseur . It is a pretty long read which covers more than I care to know about Dunhill tobaccos and the changes over the years

When Alfred Dunhill opened his shop on Duke Street in 1907 it was not a pipe shop, to be sure a scattering of pipes were offer

these two quotes in particular are pertaining to our discussion


> It's difficult to opine a rationale for many of the deleted 'name' blends after the late 1960s since they include blends that were particular favorites of pipe smokers. The answer however, probably lies in substantial part in a changing blending environment generally and equally important, Dunhill's efforts to rationalize its own specific business.
> 
> Beginning in the 1960s there were major, adverse, developments in the supply of Oriental tobaccos. The complexities of some of Dunhill's blends depended upon being able to source individual Oriental sub-varieties, but beginning in the 1960's there was an increasing tendency for leaf from various localities to be bulked and sold together. Better known, the Syrian government banned production of Latakia in that country in order to preserve what remained of its forests (the production of Syrian Latakia involves large log fires). As a consequence blenders were forced to turn to Cypriot and Turkish Latakia which has distinctly different characteristics and results in a different tasting blend.


2nd quote a bit further down in the reading


> One immediate consequence was that the Murrays Dunhill 'name' blends did not 'stink' when opened, most likely reflecting a sharp curtailments of the traditional Dunhill aging processes. I suspect another consequence was that some 'name' Dunhill blends were discontinued because they were too complex to be produced efficiently. The net effect in any case was that not only were blends discontinued but equally, there were distinct changes in all of the continuing blends, in some cases undoubtedly due to recipe changes, e.g. substitution of Cypriot Latakia for Syrian, in other cases due to changes in blending technique, and in all cases due to significantly less aging. (In all fairness problems in leaf supply and economic realities would probably have led to at least some of the same results even had Dunhill 'name' blends not been transferred to Murrays. I suspect for instance that by the 1981 transfer, Dunhill had very little aged leaf left on hand.)


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

correction Loring was a Dunhill collector, I had not realized he passed away.
John C. Loring - Legend in the Pipe Collecting World Dies | Pipes Magazine - The #1 Source for Pipes and Pipe Tobacco Information


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

sounds7 said:


> correction Loring was a Dunhill collector, I had not realized he passed away.
> John C. Loring - Legend in the Pipe Collecting World Dies | Pipes Magazine - The #1 Source for Pipes and Pipe Tobacco Information


Too bad. The first link was a great read, sad there will be no more such. Took me back many years.

I particularly like the discussion of the royal warrant. One of the reasons I smoked Dunhill so much was that very thing: If it's good enough for the royal family, surely it must be fine stuff! They no longer hold a royal warrant, but I suspect that merely reflects the general low esteem to which tobacco usage of all kinds has fallen, doubtless a public relations decision. The royal charter would probably still remain from pure inertia if nothing else.


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## Eirik (May 7, 2010)

I particularly like the discussion of the royal warrant. One of the reasons I smoked Dunhill so much was that very thing: If it's good enough for the royal family, surely it must be fine stuff! They no longer hold a royal warrant, but I suspect that merely reflects the general low esteem to which tobacco usage of all kinds has fallen, doubtless a public relations decision. The royal charter would probably still remain from pure inertia if nothing else.[/QUOTE]

Totally out of topic, but.. 
Paul Olsen My Own Blend is provider to the Danish Royal Court.
Queen Margrete smokes a lot of cigaretts but her father King Fredrik the IX'th was a pipe smoker. MOB still produce his personal blend (English Mixture). I like it a lot, relaxing, towards sedating. It's heavier than 965 and I belive it got more orientals. If someone try it it would be nice with a review, so i can place it in the myriad of english blends I've yet to try. 
So, if anyone want's a true royal smoking experience:

My Own Blend Standardblandinger

This site also carries Capstan and Three Nun's.


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